Our research is often cited in stories about criminal justice reform and our staff is regularly sought out and quoted for its expertise on crucial issues dealing with fixing our broken criminal and juvenile justice systems. Here you can find a recent articles and blog posts from across the country mentioning our work
JPI provides concise, accurate, impactful and accessible information to support sound justice reforms. Utilizing in-house expertise that covers the intricacies of prisons, juvenile justice policy, public health and associated fields, JPI brings to life stories about reform in op-eds, articles, press releases, and a variety of communications products. JPI holds as a value the role and responsibility of helping to lift up and empower the voices of people directly impacted by the justice system and their loved ones. For media inquiries, please contact Paul Ashton, Deputy Executive Director, at [email protected] … Continued
It’s time to remove cops from K-12 campuses Invest resources in teachers and students, not police WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others at the hands of police, people across the country are demanding a reduction in the role of police in all aspects of our lives, including in our schools. Having police officers patrolling schools (“School Resources Officers” or “SROs”) has been shown to contribute substantially to the school-to-prison pipeline. This is particularly true for youth of color who are more likely to … Continued
Over the past ten years, half of the states that had previously excluded all 16- and/or 17-year-olds from juvenile court based solely on their age have changed their laws so that most youth under age 18 who touch the justice system will fall under the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system. These policy changes are part of a shift to “raise the age”–reforms focused on moving out of the adult criminal justice system the tens of thousands of youth under 18 who are automatically treated as adults because of age of … Continued
Together with the number of young adults in prison, roughly 1 in 5 people incarcerated in America’s prisons and jails are between the ages of 18 and 24 – about half of whom are young people of color. The topic is critical to criminal justice reform efforts because young adults are overrepresented in the justice system, including the nations’ prisons and jails. The data show that while 18 to 24-year-olds are only 9.9 percent of the United States population, and they are 12% of the prison population. Among a sampling of eight … Continued
While the national conversation and policy reforms have focused on reducing the incarceration of people convicted of nonviolent offenses, just under half the people in prison have been convicted of a violent crime. In Defining Violence, JPI says it’s impossible the U.S. will be able to lower its incarceration rate significantly without changing how the justice system treats violent crimes. Defining Violence surveys the current debate in state legislatures and Congress on criminal justice reform, noting where justice reform proposals have been mired down in debates over what constitutes a violent crime, … Continued
Click on the communities below to see individualized profiles… According to a new report released today by the Justice Policy Institute and the Prison Policy Initiative, Maryland taxpayers are spending $5 million or more to incarcerate people from each of about half of Baltimore’s communities (25 of 55), with total spending of $288 million a year on incarcerating people from Baltimore in Maryland’s prisons. Based on data recently made available by a new Maryland law, The Right Investment?: Corrections Spending in Baltimore City shows for the first time where people … Continued
Thirty-three U.S. states and jurisdictions spend $100,000 or more annually to incarcerate a young person, and continue to generate outcomes that result in even greater costs. Our new report, Sticker Shock: Calculating the Full Price Tag for Youth Incarceration, provides estimates of the overall costs resulting from the negative outcomes associated with incarceration. The report finds that these long-term consequences of incarcerating young people could cost taxpayers $8 billion to $21 billion each year. Download Sticker Shock: Calculating the Full Price Tag for Youth Incarceration Executive Summary Appendix Press Release … Continued
Peter Leone accepts award for service to JPI. JPI’s transitions has also included saying farewell to long-time Board of Directors Chair Peter Leone, Ph.D. Staff and board members appreciate Peter’s efforts in helping JPI push forward on both adult and juvenile justice reform and wish him well. Taking his place is long-time Board member Katharine Huffman, a principal for The Raben Group. We are excited to have Katharine at JPI’s helm. Finally, in February, JPI welcomed back Jason Ziedenberg as Director of Research and Policy. Jason served in various … Continued
Advocates and the media are already responding to the policy brief, which finds that the justice system in Virginia is: Ineffective: The “truth in sentencing” laws enacted in the 1990s have failed to impact crime or recidivism, and Virginia’s aggressive stance on arresting people for drug violations has had no effect on reducing drug use, which has increased in recent years; Expensive: In 2011, Virginia spent more than $94 million on drug arrests alone; Unfair: Whites and African Americans use and sell drugs at similar rates. But in Virginia, while … Continued